Peer Support Specialist

Catawba County Emergency Services is recruiting for a dedicated and well experienced Peer Support Specialist to join our dynamic EMS Post Overdose Response Team (PORT), named REACH (Resource for Addiction and Community Health).  This position will provide peer support services to individuals affected by substance use and mental health challenges, specifically through the Catawba County REACH Team. The ideal candidate will leverage their personal lived experience to assist individuals during overdose incidents, or times of crisis. The ideal candidate will facilitate their recovery journey, and promote wellness and resilience openly within the community and population served.   

Join us in making a profound difference in the lives of individuals affected by substance use and mental health challenges in Catawba County!

• EMS and Active Overdose Responses:
  • Respond as a part of the REACH Team to active overdose situations, providing immediate peer support to those in crisis.
• Post-Overdose Follow-Up and Support:
  • Conduct follow-up visits with individuals who have experienced an overdose, assessing their desire for assistance with immediate needs and providing ongoing support.
• Coordination of Support Services:
  • Facilitate peer support sessions, fostering a safe and encouraging environment for participants.
• Documentation and Record-Keeping:
  • Maintain accurate and confidential records of encounters with individuals, including details of services provided and follow-up actions taken.
• Community Engagement and Resource Coordination:
  • Work collaboratively with local hospitals, jails, and other community partners to provide peer support services as needed.
• Modeling Recovery and Resilience:
  • Exemplify recovery principles in daily life, demonstrating values, attitudes, beliefs, and personal actions that encourage wellness.
• Professional Development and Training:
  • Attend conferences, workshops, and training sessions to enhance knowledge and skills relevant to peer support, substance use disorder, and recovery pathways.

• High school diploma or GED equivalent and either:
  • Certification as a NC Peer Support Specialist; OR
  • 1 continuous year as a former recipient of substance abuse treatment and eligibility for certification as NC Certified Peer Support Specialist
• Personal lived experience with substance use, or mental health, or the co-occurrence of SUD/ MH and recovery. 

Additional Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license with a safe driving record
• Must agree to be held accountable to personal recovery and wellness on an abstinence free pathway 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage, motivate and support individuals into finding their own recovery pathway
• Knowledge of local resources and services related to substance use and/or mental health treatment, harm reduction and recovery support 
• Ability to work effectively in high-stress environments and with diverse populations.
• Working conditions are inside/outside, and candidates must be able to lift, carry, push, and pull at least 70 pounds to utilize equipment on a regular basis and assist with moving/positioning of patients as needed. 

Salary : $37,932